


Chaos Control Freaks

by arbeartrary



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Gijinka, Alternate Universe - High School, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, Drama & Romance, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Love Triangles, M/M, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:08:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22419781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arbeartrary/pseuds/arbeartrary
Summary: Sonic has been an orphan his entire life with no idea who he is. When an opportunity to go to an academy for Mobians presents itself, he brings his substitute family with him - not knowing about the adventures that would follow and the past that would continue to haunt him. Shadonic. Hybrid AU.Rewrite of an old fic posted on Fanfiction.net.
Relationships: Knuckles the Echidna/Rouge the Bat, Minor Blaze the Cat/Amy Rose, Scourge the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog, Silver the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	1. A New Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic and his family prepare for the first day of their new lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reposting this since the original is very outdated and makes me cringe whenever I reread it, I absolutely can't stand my old writing style. In order to continue this story, I have to fix it, which is exactly what I aim to do. The other version will be updated slowly after I catch up to where I left off, but this aims to be an improved version with more details since I had issues with the other's pacing. 
> 
> This story will be really long and it combines elements from multiple universes (TV shows, comics, games, etc). In this universe, all the Mobians are human hybrids. Also the main ships in this are Shadonic/Sonadow and Knuxouge, but there’s way more than that because Sonic is adorable and everyone loves him. 
> 
> Rating: M for mature/sensitive stuff in the future. Teen drama isn't always T, but I'll write the trigger warnings in the notes at the beginning of the chapter for those sensitive to certain themes.

_There was a blur of green and brown - a forest, he realized - feeling as though he’d become one with the wind itself. The colors all seemed to blend together like a kaleidoscope before he finally materialized, standing on the sidewalk of a large city with busy streets. Cars and taxis impatiently beeped their horns in the hopes of speeding up traffic, people and Mobians alike minded their own business as they went about their day, pushing past him to reach their destinations._

_The ground quaked beneath him, his body filled with tremors with nothing to hold onto for support. His eyes swept the area, watching a myriad of cracks tear through the asphalt before a sudden burst of water shot through the manholes and rapidly consumed the city. People screamed in terror as they attempted to outrun the ferocious gusts of water, only for the unfortunate ones to be engulfed in its grasp. Instinctively he ran forward to save them, but suddenly he was submerged and caught in an undertow. Roughly, his body was pulled deeper below, he became filled with panic as the fear of drowning clouded his thoughts. Trying to claw his way to the surface, he quickly learned it was to no avail, his body kept descending and the air in his lungs was threatening to escape. Losing consciousness, a vision of an island falling crossed his mind. Suddenly he was free falling, with all traces of water having disappeared._

_With a heavy thud, his back hit the ground as the wind was knocked out of him - he risked a peek only to see a clear blue sky. About to sit up, it was then he realized that gravity was pulling him down and he couldn’t move. Green eyes searched for something,_ anything _, to help him out of this helpless situation: he_ needed _to survive. A mechanical roar from above alerted him, he blinked in surprise as a large battleship flew over the city with its shadow enveloping everything in darkness ...and that’s when he saw it. A skyscraper was devoured by a giant wave, and from it a large, reptilian, emerald green eye opened - it’s slit pupil searching for a target before it became fixed on him. His blood ran cold as the creature let out a monstrous scream, where all he could feel was it’s pure hatred and need for chaos…._

* * *

Sonic the Hedgehog awoke in a cold sweat, panting, with an intense headache pounding against his skull. His quivering fingers tightly clenched his T-shirt over his chest as he tried to even his breaths. He was in a daze, eyes unfocused, trying to make sense of what just occurred. Somehow he had been _there_ , wherever that was, and now he was _here_ , in a dark bedroom. Other than his heaving, the only sound in the room was his older brother’s light snoring, yet his body remained on edge. 

The azure teen pushed himself off the bed and darted toward the bathroom where he went straight for the faucet and cupped his hands with cool water to splash on his face. The palms of his hands rubbed his eyes, hoping to ease out of that nightmare. After a moment, his motions slowed and his fingers rested on his cheek as he stared at his reflection. Emerald eyes stared back at him, only these ones were definitely his. Shuddering and cursing under his breath, he used one of his hands to twist the faucet knob and silence the rushing water. 

“You’re losing your cool,” he muttered to himself in a small, raspy voice. The Mobian shook his head...if the kids saw him like this...it’d be shameful. Getting this worked up over some silly _dream_ . A hand reached for a towel and then he wiped his face roughly. The cloth - he felt it, it was _real_...but somehow he had also felt the waves of his dream.

The fifteen-year-old huffed as he threw the cloth onto the counter and left the room. There was a scowl on his face as he plopped back into his warm bed, ears twitching slightly at the sound of his little brother smacking his lips. Turning to his side, he watched as the blond unconsciously scooted closer and burrowed himself into his chest. His frustration was alleviated as fondness took over, a gentle smile stretching across his lips as his fingers wove themselves into the fox-hybrid’s hair, gaze lingering on their white tips as his eyes adjusted to the dark. He observed the other’s face, where a trail of drool went down his chin and would inevitably be rubbed into the hedgehog’s shirt. Miles Prower...Tails. His little brother. They were safe - the whole family was safe. There was no need to worry anymore, they had a good life now. With his body relaxing as he played with his brother’s golden locks, he finally allowed himself to be lulled into a peaceful sleep. 

* * *

Sonic’s emerald eyes opened for the second time that morning due to an alarm on the bed stand behind him. Annoyed, he reached over the wooden headrest and pressed all the buttons he could feel until it finally shut off. A tired sigh escaped his lips as he rubbed his eyes and scanned the room. The artificial light from outside had illuminated it just as dawn would have, he could clearly see the spiky, red dreadlocks of his older brother on the bed along the adjacent wall. Of course, the alarm had failed to wake up either of his siblings, but that was to be expected. As the begrudgingly responsible one in the family, since _somebody_ had to do it, he took the initiative of being the first one up. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he managed to stealthily tug his body away from Tails’ grip and get up. Passing Knuckles, he opened the door to enter the small, open-concept living area where in the other corner right across his room’s archway was a white, outdated kitchen. Spread out on the island that separated the kitchen from the living room were four sheets of paper with class schedules printed on them. Singling out the one with his name, he compared it to both his brothers’, a brow raised in surprise as he realized he shared every class with the eldest. 

He let out a heavy sigh of relief he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. 

After reading his sister’s schedule for no other reason than entertaining himself, Sonic fell into a daze, leaning against the counter and facing the couch as he pursed his lips in deep thought, wondering what his next step for the day would be. A shower, he decided with a nod. The teen went back into his bedroom so that he could get to the boy’s bathroom, then shut the door behind him once he was in. He picked out a clean towel to use and placed it on the toilet seat lid before turning his attention to the shower itself. There was a bit of hesitance, he had become way too accustomed to bathing in the shallows of rivers and lakes, Sonic almost forgot what it was like to actually have plumbing. To get a feel for it, he messed around with the knobs to get a desired cool temperature before taking off his boxers and T-shirt, dropping them onto the floor carelessly. Foot kicking them aside, he took his first step into a small pool of water. Sonic cringed as the rest of him hopped in, body trembling with chills before he twisted the knob for some more heat. 

_‘This was different,’_ he mused as he grabbed a bar of soap and scrubbed it onto what looked like a blue puffball. Once it became foamy, he began wiping off all the grime and filth that had accumulated over his fair skin since _god-knows-when_. It felt nice to be fresh, to be clean, to be warm. Though he could do without getting wet, he appreciated the results when he finished and turned off the faucet. 

Sonic grabbed the nearby towel and wrapped it around his waist. Water was uncomfortably dripping down his spine, but as he got the mirror, he couldn’t help but gawk at his reflection. It had been a while since he looked this nice. His hair, just past his shoulders and as spiky as ever, was a beautiful royal blue when it wasn’t disheveled and unwashed. His skin looked soft, and there were a couple of tan lines, which was surprising because he was never aware he _could_ tan with his complexion. Hands reached to touch the animalistic ears on top of his head, then pushed strands of hair out of the way so it looked neat. He liked how expressive they could be, especially since he considered himself a very dramatic person. There was only one other feature on him that displayed his emotions more intensely. 

His eyes. The same emerald green from that nightmare. They were big, and almond-shaped, and many described them as ‘doe-like’ much to his annoyance. They were attractive, but then again, _he_ was attractive. Sonic smirked as he checked himself out, spinning in small half-circles to get a good look at his body. Lean and lightly muscled, very unlike Knuckles who had defined abs he could only ever _dream_ of getting. His legs were especially well-toned, mostly because of all the running he did. 

...Whatever, he was hot and he didn’t care if it made him sound cocky. Everyone had a flaw, and overconfidence just so happened to be one of his. _Oh well_. He worked hard to stay in shape, and he already went through a chubby phase when he was little. It was over, puberty won. The end. 

With that desperately needed pep-talk done and over with, Sonic left the bathroom and made his way to the small gap between Knuckles’ bed and the closet, forgoing his usual day clothes and instead unracking his uniform for the Academy. He was actually very thankful that the school gave them clean clothes to wear since most Mobians, including _themselves_ , lacked the income to dress nicely. As much as he loved his old clothes, they were in desperate need of a wash, so the uniform worked out perfectly. It was a white-collared shirt with long, navy blue pants, a blue tie, a navy blue blazer with white cuffs and accents, and beige sweater vest - though the teen vaguely remembered hearing at orientation that the jacket and vest were optional.

As he donned his clothes, Sonic decided to just wear the sweater vest over his shirt and forgo the jacket. It was a little too over the top for him, and he was already feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything. He slipped on his white gloves and socks to complete his look whilst sitting on the edge of his bed, just before he spared a glance to the kit who had yet to stir. Tails looked so peaceful, it made the blue teen feel guilty for even considering waking him up, especially since this would’ve been the best night's rest he’s had in a long time. Deciding a few extra minutes wouldn’t hurt, he instead opted to wake up the echidna-hybrid.

Sonic approached the sixteen-year-old and sucked in a breath before cautiously shaking the other’s shoulders. The redhead groaned, which resulted in Sonic repeating the action, only this time much more roughly. The echidna jolted upwards from his bed and slammed his fists against the mattress, glaring at the blue-hybrid he startled. Within a second, the hedgehog recovered with a smirk and placed a finger over his lips. 

“You should get ready, but give Tails a few more minutes. ‘Kay?” Sonic whispered with a wink. 

The echidna stared at him blankly as he processed what had been said through his sleepy haze. Indigo eyes narrowed at the blue teen and he huffed in response, but despite that, he pulled off the covers and headed into the bathroom to invent a morning routine for their new lifestyle. Sonic fiddled with his tie as he walked out of the bedroom and back into the living area, only to hear chatter in the room next door. His ears perked up as a familiar voice resonated through the dorm. 

"Cream, you have to get up! I heard Sonic in the shower not too long ago-yes, I'm sure it was him. He's the only one responsible enough to get up this early!"

Sonic knocked on the door, only for it to open abruptly. Greeted by a pink-hedgehog Mobian, her jade eyes widened joyously as the smile on her face grew. “Sonic! Come in!” Jumping into his arms, she squeezed the life out of him. _‘Honestly, I should’ve expected that,’_ Sonic mentally chided himself as he let out a pained wheeze. 

“I knew it was you in the shower! You smell so nice too! Is that coconut?” 

Sonic grunted as he attempted to push the twelve-year-old away. “A-Amy!” he choked as her grip became tighter. She was a sweet girl, really, but she had a habit of getting a _little_ bit too carried away when showing her affection. 

“Thank goodness you’re here,” Amy let go of him and took a step back, one hand on her hip as the other pointed accusingly to a small mound beneath the covers of a nearby twin bed. “I've been trying to get Cream and Cosmo out of bed, but they won't budge!"

Upon noticing the jittering lump, Sonic approached the bed and pulled off the covers, revealing two young girls who barely resisted being exposed. Tears welled up in both their eyes, with Cheese being cradled like a doll in Cream’s arms. The rabbit-hybrid gazed at him with her big, caramel eyes and whimpered softly. 

"Please don't make us go...I don't wanna be separated from you! Amy told us that we wouldn't be together anymore!" Sonic sternly glared at pink hedgehog, and in response she sheepishly shrugged.

"I was complaining that we wouldn't be able to see you that much anymore…then they started asking me too many questions. I only said we'd be separated for a little while, it's not like I made it sound like we were never gonna see each other again..." Amy explained. With an understanding sigh, he sent her a nod before seating himself on the girl's’ bed and taking hold of the rabbit’s trembling hand. 

"Cream, it's just school. You'll learn all these cool new things and make friends that are your age. We're not going to be separated forever, it’s only for a few hours. At the end of the day, we'll all be here."

"What if no one likes me?" The six-year-old cried, worry written all over her face.

"No way, you're adorable and sweet. Who wouldn't like you?" Sonic encouraged with a smile. "Just try it out and see if you like it. If you don’t, just tell me and I'll handle it, okay? Though I seriously doubt that'll happen. You’ll have fun." Cream delicately wiped the unshed tears from the corner of her eyes before a gentle smile curled her lips.

Cosmo, however, still held a frown and her eyes were downcast. She was twiddling her thumbs and her cerulean eyes were dull. 

"Cos, what's wrong? Same as Cream?" The Seedrian shook her head and gave Sonic a quick glance. "Then what?"

"I…" she paused, thinking of what to say. "I'm...different."

Sonic sucked in a breath and bit the inside of his cheek as he thought of an appropriate answer. The green hybrid had always been acutely aware of how others regarded her, how they always stared at her for she wasn’t human or animalistic. She was a species so rare, many didn’t even think her existence was possible: a plant-hybrid. They and their clan had been isolated from the outside world for centuries...and now she remained as the last one. Cosmo was wise beyond her years, she didn’t deserve to be talked down to like some gullible child. Sonic wouldn’t lie to her and say things like ‘oh, you’re not different,’ because she _was_...but that wasn’t a bad thing. Unfortunately, the girl was convinced it was, therefore he constantly had to reassure her that she belonged. 

“Cosmo, just ‘cause you’re not an animal doesn’t mean you’re not a Mobian. We’re all subspecies here!” he sent her wink. "Don't let it get to you; we're all categorized as the same thing. Plant or animal, we're all still one of the same." The Seedrian found comfort in fitting in, and as much as Sonic wanted to boost her confidence by telling her she was unique, one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable - he figured that would actually do more harm than good considering everything that transpired. 

His words seemed to have worked, he noticed the way her back straightened and her hands were calmly resting on her lap. Blue eyes held a small spark in them, not to the level he would’ve preferred, but better than they were moments ago. “I-I suppose you’re right...”

“Of course he’s right!” Amy exclaimed. “Cream, you need to get changed. Cosmo and I have been ready since forever! And Cheese...well, he’s always ready.” The pink preteen was dressed similarly to Sonic: with the white, collared shirt and beige sweater vest. The difference being her tie was red instead of blue, as she was in middle school, and she wore a navy blue skirt instead of pants. She also wore her blazer, which she had closed in the front- completely unsurprising as the young girl always loved looking her best. Her shoulder-length pink hair was pushed back by her favorite red headband that Sonic had given her many years ago, completing her attire for the day. Cosmo wore almost the exact same outfit, though since she was in elementary school, she sported a red bow instead of a tie. She seemed very tense, most definitely wishing she could wear her flower petal dress, but she put up without complaint. Though Sonic admired her high tolerance, he wished she’d speak her mind more. Sonic didn’t dare push her too far out of her comfort zone though, they were still taking baby steps, and everything was going well. She was worth slowing down for. They all were. 

The blue teen sighed, watching as Amy handed Cream her uniform after she picked it out from the closet. With a push off the bed, he made his way to the door. “Alright, I’ll leave it to you girls to finish getting ready.” The door shut behind him and by the couch he saw his two brothers dressed in their uniforms and set to go. Both were dressed like him, only the bubbly blond had donned his blazer while the redhead had ditched that as well as the sweater vest. Sonic walked up to them, ruffling Tails’ bangs as he observed the largest of their trio. The elder wore his dreads in large spikes that went to his chest, and his exposed bronze arm muscles made the blue hybrid seethe with envy. Over his spiked hands, he wore mittens - _gloves_ , Sonic mentally corrected himself, _of course_. It wouldn’t be Knuckles if he wasn’t ready for a fight, even at their new school. 

“Sonic!” The hedgehog focused on the enthusiastic fox-hybrid, who was bouncing on the balls of his feet as his tails swished back and forth. “I saw my schedule! I can’t believe I’m in school with you guys!” Tails frowned a second after. “But we don’t share a lot of classes. You’re stuck with freshmen, aren’t you? And I’m taking really advanced science classes…”

Knuckles groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Don’t rub it in, kid. Sonic and I are stuck in a special math class. I should be a junior and I have to take stupid pre-algebra. Isn’t that middle school stuff?”

“Well, at least we have every class together, Knux!” The blue teen massaged his temple, feigning annoyance. “Ugh, just when I thought I’d finally get a break from you, they manage to keep us together...Kidding!”

Tails stifled a giggle at the unamused glare the echidna gave his younger brother. “We have English, lunch and gym together!” He stated optimistically. “That’s something we all can look forward to!”

Sonic propped an arm on Tails’ shoulder and brought him close, but eyed the echidna mischievously. “Hope you don’t mind me pairing up with the little guy whenever there’s group work. I’d like to apologize in advance.” 

The redhead scoffed. “Whatever,” his indigo irises focused on the tie loosely hanging around his neck as his fingers attempted to fix it, only to accidentally make it worse. He huffed, deciding to just leave it be, and shot Sonic an irritated glare. “Care to remind me _why_ I’ll be wasting my time at school? Just curious.”

The cobalt Mobian smirked. “Let’s just say, while I was out scavenging for food, I got kidnapped by those guys from GUN and met the President.” Tails’ blue eyes widened in surprise as Knuckles raised a doubtful brow. “I know right! Totally out there, but that’s why I took so long! So, apparently they’ve caught this strange green energy on me and Knux and they want us near Prison Island so they can keep an eye on us. They promised me food, clothing, shelter and school for all of us if I agreed, so yeah, now we’re here at the Mobian Academy of Station Square. Pretty cool, huh?” 

“What green energy?” Knuckles made a face as he pointed to himself. “What do you mean it’s on me?”

Sonic rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t get so worked up over it, it’s not big of a deal. Let’s just entertain those guys and enjoy the free food and nice beds, okay?” he sat himself on the couch and crouched over, hoping to find his dress shoes strewn somewhere beneath the furniture. Dragging them out and putting them on, he was completely unsatisfied by how confined his feet felt in them, not that his current casual shoes were any better. The red footwear was worn and in the process of falling apart, to be honest, he wasn’t sure how much longer they’d last with all the running he did. It was for the best he gave those things a break, but he could do without the formality. Maybe he should just invest in some good running sneakers…

As he finished tying the two black laces together, the girls and Cheese emerged from their bedroom looking prepared to start their first day of school. Amy wore her leather cross-body purse with her fingers wrapped around the strap as the two young girls followed her out. It was actually really cute to see them all dressed up. Sonic watched as the preteen went straight toward the kitchen island to pick up their schedules and place them in her bag. 

“Well? Shouldn’t we head to breakfast?” Amy glanced at the boys, her jade irises comparing the way they each wore their uniforms, only to shake her head and roll her eyes. She approached echidna with a scowl and fussed as she straightened out his tie. 

“It's fine,” the echidna grumbled, but he made no move to stop her as Sonic picked up the rabbit-hybrid who squealed in delight. 

“We good?” Sonic asked, his emerald gaze skimming over each member of the family before nodding. Cream wrapped her small arms around his neck and looked over his shoulder as he led the family out of their dorm and through the underground housing area. The rest anxiously followed the blue teen, each wondering how the day would turn out. 

* * *

“So...wait,” Knuckles had been the first one to speak when they finally reached the cafeteria. They all stood there, dumbfounded, on the first floor of a large, four-story building. Long conveyor belts filled with trays of various foods appeared and disappeared through small windows in the wall, it was a lot for the previously homeless gang to take in. There was too much going on at once, it was hard to process what their next move should be - the environment was just too unfamiliar for them. “Do we not order food? I thought that’s how food places normally worked.” 

“Maybe it’s like a buffet?” Sonic suggested as he glimpsed at the contents of each tray...cereal...french toast...pancakes and eggs. He picked up the last tray with one hand, deciding it looked the most appetizing. “Yeah, we just grab what’s good and go, I guess,” his green eyes focused on the girl who was resting on his hip and held only by his left arm. “Sorry, Cream, but I think I’m gonna need to put you down.” The girl nodded as he slowly lowered her to the floor. Cheese, who had been laying against Sonic’s shoulder, rushed over to her side like the loyal companion he was, she giggled as she cradled him in her arms. 

Tails, wanting to be like his idol, also chose pancakes for breakfast, though his were filled with blueberries and topped with whipped cream. Knuckles picked a tray of french toast sticks for himself, and upon noticing the rabbits lingering gaze on some colorful cereal, he snatched that for her as well. Sonic reached over the conveyor belt to quickly swipe up a small peach, placing it on the rabbit’s red tray with a smile. 

“Here, for Cheese.”

“Thank you!” Cream clapped her hands enthusiastically. 

Amy and Cosmo had wandered off together not too far away from the rest of their family, hoping to find something that would satiate their appetite. The pinkette chose a bowl of bland looking cereal mixed with strawberries and a side of applesauce while the Seedrian took an apple off a random tray. The two girls exchanged a glance before the elder caught sight of a cinnamon bun and quickly swiped it onto her tray. 

“We can split it if you want? I just don’t think an apple will be enough for you.”

“Oh, alright. Sounds good to me,” Cosmo smiled at her older sister. 

The two girls made their way back to the others, who were headed toward the drink stand. Amy, Cream, and Tails went to one of the many refrigerators, where the eldest of the three picked regular milk and the younger two went for chocolate. Cosmo walked alongside Knuckles and Sonic with a plastic cup in hand to select a drink from the fountain. The Seedrian remained simple and chose water while the teens waited in line to select a juice. The blue teen decided to go with orange, and chuckled when he saw Knuckles fill his cup with purple liquid.

“Grape? Wow, I never would’ve guessed...” he teased, sticking out his tongue playfully. 

“Shut up,” the redhead scowled. “You know I like grapes, besides,” he took a gulp of his drink before adding more to it. “We all know if they ever made a chili dog drink, you’d be the only weirdo that’d actually buy it.”

The echidna was met with a snort. “Well, no duh! The heavenly food of the gods in liquid state...Man, same taste, but quicker time to consume. I’m game.”

Knuckles scrunched his nose in disgust. “Gross.”

The kids returned to their elders with anticipation written all over their faces. Here came the hard part, Sonic sighed as he led the family up an escalator...finding a table. They searched the entire second floor for a place to sit, but it was booked. The third floor was cramped, but after making a quick run to the fourth floor, it was _much_ better than the alternatives. At least there were gaps where they could actually breathe, so surely they’d be able to find a table that would fit all of them. 

In the back, it was considerably less crowded, but each table was still occupied. Fortunately, they found a good size table against a wall with only two seats taken. That left a good amount of space that would fit his pack, Sonic decided as he advanced toward it. The two Mobians already there sat on opposite sides, facing each other, clearly talking about something serious based on the expressions he caught glimpses of. On one end with his back turned to him sat an ivory teenager, a hedgehog-hybrid like him, and the lavender Mobian directly across was a feline-hybrid. He approached them, a friendly smile on his face, though they didn’t notice his presence. 

“Hey!” Two pairs of amber eyes focused on him. “Is it alright if my family and I sit with you guys? Everywhere else is full.” The cat Mobian nodded, though she shot the ivory teen a sympathetic glance. The latter appeared to be very frustrated by the turn of events, sending the blue teen a curt glare before moving his tray and backpack closer to the wall. Sonic raised a brow, completely taken aback by the other’s attitude. _Okay?_ All he did was ask if he could sit with them. He shook his head as he sat himself next to the other hedgehog, setting his tray down and encouraging the others to do the same. Tails took the seat right beside him, with Knuckles on the edge. On the opposite end, Amy sat herself beside the feline and across from Sonic, followed by Cosmo and Cream. Cheese sat himself on the rabbit Mobian’s tray, where he eagerly nibbled on his peach after Knuckles placed their tray before them. A pile of napkins were placed at the center of the table while the family warmed up to the idea of enjoying a nice meal together. It was such a foreign concept to them, but also extremely comforting. 

Cream took it upon herself to start a conversation at the table by thanking Knuckles for getting her a deliciously colorful meal, only for the two to discuss all the other meals they would look forward to. Cosmo quietly listened in while she ate her apple and picked at the cinnamon bun she shared with Amy, while Tails excitedly dug into his meal as he’d never had the luxury of eating something as sweet as whipped cream. Sonic chuckled as he rested his head on his palm and grabbed a napkin with his other, telling the fox to look at him before wiping the mess off his face.

“So, what’re your names?” Sonic’s blue ears perked up at the sound of Amy initiating a conversation with their new company. He turned his head and watched as the lavender Mobian glanced her way. She was very pretty, with pale skin and amber irises that were decorated with winged eyeliner. A red gem rested on her forehead, right in the center where her purple hair also parted. It was short in the front and framed her face, but toward the back it was slightly longer and pulled into a ponytail by a red hair-tie. The feline was dressed almost exactly like Amy, but instead she wore a blue tie, like him.

“My name is Blaze, and his name is Silver,” she responded simply, holding a dignified aura around her, and Amy nodded with a smile before continuing.

“Nice to meet you, Blaze! Have you two been here long? If you have, can you tell us a bit about this place? We just got here last night, so we’re clueless! It’s a miracle we even found the cafeteria as fast as we did.”

The cat paused, as though mentally debating whether or not she really wanted to commit to socializing with the preteen. Blaze sighed as she reluctantly gave in, “We’ve been here for one year…Campus has several parts, however the elementary and middle school are on the west end of the quad, the elementary building being slightly larger. The high school is on the east side, it's the third largest building on school grounds. If it helps, right now we’re south of the quad.” 

“Thanks, and I’ve been wondering…while passing through I noticed a sign that said this cafeteria serves breakfast, dinner and dessert. What about lunch?” The pink Mobian inquired as her hands fiddled with the golden bracelets around her wrists.

“Lunch is only served here on weekends and holidays. Each school holds their own cafeteria that serves lunch to the students. It saves time that way.” Amy nodded as she took in all the information. Someone had to do it, right?

“On the brochures I read there’s a shopping district too?”

“Yes, you can see it from the high school. It’s along the shore, just a couple of stores and a boardwalk that leads to a beach.”

“Wow, this place has everything!” Sonic exclaimed, a large grin on his face after deciding he wanted to be a part of the conversation. The feline Mobian’s eyes lingered on him for a moment before she frowned and averted her gaze. His eyes met those of Silver, whose glower did not ease the tension in the slightest. The azure teen pouted slightly, wondering if he did something wrong again. Why were these guys being so difficult with him? He hoped not everybody they’d meet would be like this...he needed to diffuse the negativity somehow…

The hedgehog beside him wore his uniform with his brazer, and had his long, spiky white hair reach his shoulder blades, while the top part seemed to defy gravity and stick up in odd places. The other looked a little weird, but he held a nice tan that worked well with his hair color. His eyes had a dark outline around them, resulting in the blue Mobian to wonder whether the other wore eyeliner, held an interesting genetic trait, or was severely sleep-deprived...maybe even all three? Well, Sonic wasn’t one to judge any of those options, and he actually decided that he liked the ivory teen’s irises as they remind him of honey. A compliment never hurt anybody, right?

“You have really nice eyes,” he smiled at Silver as he finished studying him. There was an awkward pause before he noticed a slight pink rise in the other’s cheeks, though it was almost hard to tell. 

“Wh-What?” The white Mobian spluttered, mixed between anger and embarrassment, the first words Sonic ever heard spill from his lips. It was a young voice, but he was surprised by how mature it sounded. Not what he expected, but it seemed fitting. Blaze raised her brows in surprise, yet tried to conceal an amused smirk as the pinkette beside her scowled and crossed her arms. 

“Hey! You never tell _me_ my eyes are pretty!” Amy huffed indignantly. 

“What do you mean ‘what’?” Sonic rolled his eyes as he ignored his sister. “I said you have nice eyes, dude. Chill,” he sighed in defeat as the ivory-hybrid turned his back to him. Instead, Sonic glanced at the other end of the table where the rest of the family chatted amicably. 

“Hey, Sonic?” His eyes focused on the jade of his younger sister, who currently stirred the remaining contents of her cereal. “Um, I was just curious about what happened the other day...like, why are we here? What happened? Everything’s cool and all, but I haven’t really been able to wrap my head around it...it’s all been moving a little too fast for me,” Amy admitted bashfully before exchanging a nod with Cosmo. 

“You were missing for two days,” the Seedrian added softly. 

Sonic rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, realizing that he had ushered his family into this new life without stopping for a moment to explain what was going on. It was so like him, but he suddenly felt guilty for leaving them in the dark. He definitely appreciated how quick they were to adapt for his sake, despite the circumstances. It showed that they placed a lot of faith in him, and he wasn’t one to let them down. They deserved an explanation. 

“Okay, so…” he made a face as he thought back three days. “When I was out getting food for us, I basically got kidnapped by GUN, like with a tranquilizer dart and everything.” Amy and Cosmo both gaped at him, even Tails perked up despite having already heard the story. 

“Wait...they actually _sedated_ you? ” The fox-hybrid was shocked that GUN would use extreme methods against an innocent civilian. Sonic was a teenager, not some threat to everyone around him. 

“Yeah, they did. So, when I woke up, I was sleeping on the President’s couch and they actually had me restrained. It was messed up, but whatever. He seemed like a nice guy,” his family sent him incredulous looks as he continued on with the story. “Anyway, this guy or whatever briefed me on why I was there, but I don’t really recall a lot of the details because I was still a little hazy from the drugs. What I _do_ remember is that they apparently traced some strange, green energy on me and Knux and they wanted us to relocate closer to them so they could keep surveillance on us. They wanted the two of us to come here, but I made sure to set it up so we all would stay together. That’s when they brought me home and we picked you guys up so we could take those placement tests and come here. After the orientation I was gonna tell you guys what happened, but then we had to add those extra beds to our rooms and when we finally finished, you all were crashed.” The blue teen took a swig of his drink after he finished his story. 

There was silence at the table before Amy spoke up. “Strange, green energy?” she raised a brow as her jade irises flickered between him and Knuckles. 

Sonic rubbed his chin as he pursed his lips in thought. “Yeah...um, they called it a ‘high concentration of Chaos Energy,’ whatever that means. Something about keeping tabs on it just in case it goes haywire or something,” Sonic shrugged, despite the concerned expressions the kids wore. “I doubt it's anything bad, it’s probably just some glitch in their radar. As long as it works in our favor, I don’t mind entertaining the higher ups for a little while.” 

“How the hell did they find us in the first place?” The echidna had his elbows propped on the table, a cheek rested on the back of his namesake as he faced the other teen. “Did you do something to alert them? We’ve gone years without being detected, why now?”

“Well, this is GUN we’re talking about. They probably have all types of equipment hidden away from us normal people. I wouldn’t be surprised if they knew about you guys for years and just finally decided now to take action,” Amy stated before taking one last bite out of her cereal.

“Guys, don’t worry about it,” Sonic waved his hand to dismiss the topic. “Whatever happens will happen. We’ll just take it as it comes, alright?”

Everyone hummed in agreement as they placed their empty trays in a pile at the center of the table, and picked up their trash. Class was about to start soon, and it was best if they headed out early so they wouldn’t be late. Knuckles took it upon himself to bring their discarded remains to the garbage bin, before catching up to his family that waited _ever so patiently_ for him as they went down the escalator. 

* * *

They arrived at the steps of the middle school, the smallest of the buildings surrounding the quad, with its brick, Georgian architecture and white columns and windows. To the family, it looked regal and old, capturing an ancient charm. Amy normally would’ve marveled at the beautiful, white clock tower attached to its front, but was too busy sulking at the realization that she was the first one to be dropped off. 

“Ames, I know you don’t like this-”

“Sonic, that’s a huge understatement!” her head whipped around to the blue Mobian as she snapped. 

“Hey, it’s only for a few hours,” he assured her. “I’ll go in with you, okay? Make sure you get settled and all that.”

Amy let out a heavy sigh as she relented before moving toward him. “Fine, whatever.”

“Alright, and what are _we_ going to do?” Knuckles gestured to the kids with them. 

The cobalt hedgehog nodded toward the concrete steps as he felt the preteen hook their arms together. “Just wait here, it’ll be quick.” 

The redhead rolled his eyes, but complied, as he sat himself down and encouraged the kids to do the same. Sonic led the begrudging pinkette through large wooden doors and down the halls, reading signs in hopes of being led into the right direction. 

Sonic groaned as he looked around the unfamiliar area. “Where are we even going?”

“Second-floor,” Amy answered immediately, and the blue teen regarded her questioningly. She waved a brochure before him with her free hand. “I snagged this on our way in,” she beamed. 

He gave her a smile of his own. “Where would I be without you?” 

“Lost, probably,” Amy snickered. “Everyone knows I’m your beautiful guide!” They found a staircase and ascended to the second floor. “It’s weird how they put the seventh graders on the first floor and eighth graders on the second. I mean, yeah it’s organized, but everyone’s separated!” Sonic hummed in response to her comment, unsure how to answer her blabber. He was used to this, and his technique worked most of the time. “I wonder if your school does that?”

“I dunno. This is as new as for me as it is for you,” he chuckled. 

Amy led him down the hall and to a door, her eyes glancing anxiously at the sign beside it. “Ugh, this is my room. I’m so not looking forward to this…” her eyes widened before she began shuffling through her purse. “Ah, I almost forgot! I have your schedules,” she handed the three sheets of paper she picked up earlier to her brother.

“Oh, sweet, Ames! I actually forgot about them.”

“I know,” she smiled before becoming slightly dejected as she watched him tuck the papers into his pant’s pocket. “I guess I should go in, but I’m still not happy about this,” she let out a nervous giggle as she twirled a lock of pink hair around her finger. 

“Come on, you’ll be fine,” he took the initiative and opened the door for her, noticing only a couple students had come in early and how the teacher prepared to greet them. “Hey, this is my lil’ sis, Amy! She’s nice, fun, and cool, but if you make her mad she’ll smash things with her hammer. Just a fair warning.” The preteen flushed with embarrassment as she frantically pushed the blue hedgehog behind her, approaching the startled adult. 

“I’m sorry, he’s a bit loud!” she informed the canine-hybrid. “I’m Amy Rose...this is my class, right? I’m a bit late, I know. School started a week ago, but we were only just invited the other day!”

The adult relaxed. “You’re correct, this is your class. No need to apologize,” the teacher smiled at the pink Mobian. She gestured toward an empty seat by the window, right beside a yellow, feline-hybrid with long, black hair tied in pigtails. “We already have a seat set for you, Honey will help you get around.” At the mention of her name, the cat-hybrid glanced up with orange eyes and shyly waved at Amy, who brightened. 

The preteen turned to her brother. “I’m good now, you can go,” her hands shooed him before making her way to the other girl. Sonic sent the teacher a shrug, and she chuckled before waving him goodbye. He glanced one last time at his sister, who sat in her seat and was introducing herself to her peer, before grinning and walking out, shutting the door behind him. 

That was a lot easier than expected...he knew Amy could handle her own. 

* * *

After reuniting with the rest of his family, they all walked to the next building over: the elementary school. Its style was the same as the middle school, though it was much more towering and grandiose, which made sense as it held more grades and therefore more students. Cream clutched onto Sonic’s hand as though her life depended on it, and Tails was attempting to soothe Cosmo - whose earlier fears had come back to bite her. 

As they entered the establishment, Sonic felt the rabbit’s grip tighten in his own before it was gone altogether. Looking over his shoulder, he was a bit surprised to see the echidna gently pulling her toward him. 

“I’ll take Cream to her class, you guys take Cosmo to hers. That way we save time.” Knuckles said while picking her up, with rabbit-hybrid burying her sandy blonde head into the crook of his neck as he took her away toward the first grade halls. 

Sonic waved to the rabbit with a reassuring wink and watched as she slowly waved back to him, managing a small smile despite the tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. He then turned to his little brother and the Seedrian, taking a hold of her hand as she trembled slightly. The hedgehog squeezed it comfortingly to let her know that he was there and that she’d be fine as they walked down the halls... green eyes wandering around, he once again found himself having no idea where they were going.

After a few twists and turns, Sonic felt Cosmo come to a halt. He whirled around to ask why, only to see Tails smirking at him. “We’re here, Sonic. You can stop walking now.”

The green Mobian managed to smile upon seeing Sonic’s embarrassed expression as he did a double take, realizing he was headed toward the gymnasium. _Awkward_. Then he could’ve really gotten himself lost. 

Sonic shook his head as he peeked through the second-grade door’s window. “So this is the room? It looks...really nice, actually. I think you’ll love it, Cos,” he turned to her as Tails knocked on the wooden entrance. It swung open, revealing an adult groundhog-hybrid, who greeted them with a warm grin, though the Seedrian found herself clinging onto the hedgehog’s arm. 

She was worried someone would talk about her, that they’d bully her for being different.

“Ah, Cosmo, is it?” The adult knelt to her level. “Come in, we’re all happy to meet you! And early too? You must be one responsible young lady!” 

Sonic felt her relax against him as her teacher gave her a warm welcome, and he sent the elder a relieved smile, grateful for his choice of words. He saw the teacher point to an orange Mobian. “There’s an empty chair right beside that raccoon, her name is Marine. Perhaps you should get to know each other?” The Seedrian looked at her classmate, who enthusiastically waved in her direction. 

Blue eyes flicked back to Sonic, and he nodded at her with a smile. “Go on, you can do this!” she brightened before making her way over to her desk. 

The adult stood up, pausing when he noticed Tails. “Are you in this class too? I’m sorry, but I wasn’t told another student would be joining...I don’t think I have a seat for you.”

The blond eight-year-old glanced at Sonic for an answer and the teen responded. “Oh, no, he’s actually going to the high school with me. See, he’s a prodigy according to the evaluators. He’ll be taking some really advanced classes, even for me,” he beamed as Tails flushed at the attention. 

“That’s very cool,” the teacher praised the boy. “I wish you good luck in your studies!” 

“Thanks…”

Sonic ruffled his little brother’s hair before taking a step closer to his senior and lowering his voice down to a whisper. “Listen, sir, she’s really nervous about being here...can you just make sure the other kids are nice to her?”

He nodded. “Of course, this class has zero tolerance for bullying. She seems like a sweet girl though, I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

The cobalt Mobian shook the teacher’s hand before sending Cosmo a quick salute and wink, where she giggled and returned the gesture. It shocked the blue blur seeing her let loose for once, he realized he should try pushing her out of her comfort zone more often rather than sheltering her...maybe he’d get better results that way. 

Sonic followed his little brother back out into the halls, where they eventually met up with Knuckles by the entrance. 

“How was Cream?” The blond asked with concern. 

“She’s was fine,” Knuckles shrugged indifferently. “The moment she stepped in the room, all the kids were asking her to play with them...and then she left me shortly after,” the echidna’s shoulders slightly slumped forward and the blue teen swung an arm around his neck.

“My, my, my...Knuckles, are you _actually_ feeling bummed that our lil’ girl doesn’t need you anymore?” he smirked as he pinched his cheek. “That’s okay, we can find another!”

“You make it sound like we’re a couple,” he rolled his eyes as he tried to shake his younger brother off him. 

Sonic snickered as he retracted his arm, “You wish!”

“Shouldn’t we head to class now?” Tails asked.

“Eh, I guess,” Sonic shrugged as the redhead cracked his knuckles, then began walking through the quad to the building directly east of them. The blue and yellow Mobians exchanged grins before following suit, eyeing all the different Mobians of various ages getting to class. He’d never seen so many of his species at one time, and not a single human in sight. It was odd, but he could definitely get used to it...there was a strange sense of community here...it was _nice_. 

The high school was massive. It was mainly a Georgian structure like the other two buildings they had just visited, however many modern additions had been built into it. Along one end it had large glass windows making up the entire wall, where they could see students meandering through the halls, and then there was the other end where it attempted to copy the original architecture...and to think that was just the front. 

They went up the concrete steps and entered the building, only to be met with plenty of students dressed similarly to them, minding their own business as they went to their first period class. Sonic blinked, suddenly remembering that they were there for the same reason. 

“I wonder what’s your first class...” he said aloud as he turned to Tails, reaching into his pocket to retrieve their schedules.

“Calculus,” the fox answered, having memorized it already. 

“What the hell? What kind of class is that?” Knuckles frowned.

“It’s an advanced math class that specializes in engineering...I really hope they didn’t overestimate me! What if it’s too hard?” The blond cast the blue teen a panicked look, though the elder of the two shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it, you can always just drop down to a lower level math class. Honestly, you’re an eight-year old in high school. As long as you do the best you can, I’ll be proud of you,” he smirked as he handed the boy his sheet of paper. 

They wandered down the halls, looking for the appropriate room number that matched the one on the sheet. It’d be easier if they had a map of the place, but that would take away the fun of it, at least in the Sonic’s opinion. Eventually they stopped in front of a door, and the two elder brothers exchanged a glance before focusing on the kit between them. 

“This is where I leave you two,” Tails sucked in a heavy breath and then shakily released it.

“You don’t want us to go in with you?” He raised a blue brow. 

“Nah, I’ll be okay. You two should head to class though or you’ll be late.”

“Are you sure? We don’t mind, really…” The echidna shrugged.

“I’m sure. Besides, I’ll see you next period in English! I’ll tell you about calculus then, okay?”

Sonic bent over and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Okay, well, see you soon buddy.” 

“Yeah, if there’s any trouble at all just leave it to me,” Knuckles smirked confidently as he punched his palm intimidatingly. 

The blond chuckled. “Of course,” he gave his best friend a quick hug before turning around and entering his classroom, shutting the door behind him. The blue teen straightened himself out with a sigh, hands on his lower back as he bent back and cracked the bones in his spine. “Well, all that’s left is us and I have no clue where we’re going.”

The red Mobian sighed, cocking his head in the opposite direction. “We’ll make do. C’mon, let’s just get this over with.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, Knuckles likes grapes. Hope you enjoyed chapter one out of many. This story is gonna be long af, lord help us all.  
> Also, feel free to constructively criticize this. I enjoy writing for myself, but it would be nice to  
> improve while I do so. That way if other people want to read this, it's at least legible. Just a little note, this story will have action and adventure in it, but it’s a story about Sonic’s development...I've taken many psych classes and now I can’t write a story without diagnosing the characters. I'm certain it shows. :/


	2. Gotta Go Fast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic's first day takes a turn for the worst until he's challenged by a handsome stranger.

The two brothers entered their classroom just after the bell rang, surprising both of them considering all the time they wasted bickering over directions. Sonic sent the echidna a cheeky smile, one that bragged over his accuracy, while the redhead playfully whacked him in the arm. They scanned the room from the doorway, stumped, as there wasn't a teacher with them. Students were already seated, and either they gave them curious once-overs or ignored their existence altogether. No teacher was there to direct them where to go or even scold them for arriving late.

How unprofessional?

Sonic shrugged as his crimson brother gave him a questioning glance, his emerald irises running through the crowd, hoping to find a gap... _perfect_! A window seat in the back, where he’d be able to look outside and see the world. He’d hate to spend hours looking at the wall, at least if he got bored he’d be able to imagine himself running outside.

He made his way over to the seat he claimed for himself, abandoning his older brother who gawked at him for his betrayal. What was the saying? _You snooze, you lose_? The blue hybrid smirked as he sat down, watching the echidna narrow his indigo eyes at him and scowl. 

“You pick a seat and sit!” he called out, watching as his brother fumed before finding a seat against the wall behind some green hawk-hybrid and next to a large, reptilian Mobian. A couple of students turned in their seats to catch a glimpse of Sonic after his outburst, but soon lost interest and went back to whatever they had been doing before. 

The cobalt teenager mindlessly drummed his fingers against his desk to one of the many beats he created years ago as his eyes impatiently lingered on the door. Where was his teacher? How could he get the day done and over with if it didn’t start? Within seconds, he lost his focus and his eyes roamed around the room once again, only this time they actually were focused on studying his peers. He almost jumped in surprise when he recognized the person beside him. 

“Woah, it’s you!” The ivory hedgehog flinched when he heard his neighbor’s voice, his mind having been elsewhere. He turned his head and faced the blue Mobian with hesitant amber eyes. “Silver, right? Small world,” Sonic’s toothy grin was met with a glare, slightly putting him off. “Where’s your girlfriend?” 

“Blaze isn’t my girlfriend,” Silver stated stiffly.

“Okay, well, where is she?”

“She’s obviously in a different class.” 

His tone and attitude frustrated Sonic, after all, he couldn’t understand why this kid was being so rude to him. All he did was ask to share a table, _why_ was that such a big deal? He rolled his eyes, “Of course. _Obviously_ .” The other hedgehog merely narrowed his eyes and turned away, ignoring him. What was his _problem_?

Instead, he focused on the girl sitting in front of him. She had long, purple hair and small, round yellow ears. Sonic observed as she opened a clear pencil case and pulled out a plum-colored pen. Wait, had he come to class unprepared? His eyes flickered to the moody teen beside him, who sat in his chair with a binder on his desk and pencil in hand. _Shoot_. 

Sonic rubbed his face in annoyance before lightly tapping her shoulder. The girl jolted upward before turning in her seat to get a good look at him. “Hey, um, can I borrow a pencil or something? Sorry, I’m new and didn’t realize I was empty-handed…” he flushed under her gaze as she contemplated him with green eyes that seemed to linger on him longer than necessary. 

A light blush rose in her cheeks when she realized she had zoned out while staring at the attractive teen and she turned away, nervously searching for an extra pencil to give to him. 

“H-here you go!” she squeaked. “You can keep it if you want!”

“Thanks,” the blue teen smiled as he took it from her shaky hand, finding himself amused by their conversation. “I’m Sonic, by the way,” he decided that he liked this girl. She seemed nice and he’d be happy to have her as a friend. 

“Ah, I'm Nina-I mean Mina! Mina Mongoose. Pleasure to meet you!"

“That’s a pretty name,” he winked, but in the corner of his eye he noticed the way Silver coldly narrowed his eyes at him. _Really_? He wasn’t even talking to him! He ignored the other and continued to keep up his oblivious, cheery demeanor. 

Mina blushed and averted her gaze. “Thank you…”

The door opened abruptly, startling the entire class. In the doorway stood a man with disheveled sandy blond hair and askew half-moon glasses. Sonic raised a brow as he watched the teacher rush to his desk and drop a pile of folders on top of it...though something was off about him. The adult pulled out a laptop which he used to take attendance. 

Then that’s when it dawned on him. 

“Ah, I see our two new students arrived,” the teacher smiled as they made eye contact. “Sonic the Hedgehog and…” Blue eyes glanced toward the redhead. “Knuckles the Echidna?” The blue teen nodded in affirmation, though his emerald irises studied his older brother’s face. Guarded. Full of distrust. So, he knew it too. “Well, my name is Mr. Stewart. I’m your history teacher and I hope you both get comfortable with your peers and this class. May you have a great year!” 

“You’re a human,” The echidna announced, his narrowed eyes showing doubt over the sincerity of his teacher’s words. 

"Ah, ‘human’ is the incorrect term. I’m an Overlander, which just like Mobians, is a genetically mutated species as a result from the Xorda Gene Bombs. Please do not mistake me as those Overlanders who do not comprehend that both Mobians and Overlanders are subspecies; there is no superior race. All Overlanders who claim to be humans are wrong. You two may need to catch up on reading, there are books under your seats. We discussed a little bit about the invasion during the first week of class and now we’re just getting into the details. There isn't too much you haven't learned," the teacher explained, watching as the two brothers looked directly underneath their seats only to find a textbook lying on a rack. They simultaneously placed them on their desks, Mr. Stewart nodded in approval before beginning his lesson.

Sonic opened the heavy book and skimmed through its pages, noting how the information dated back to the pre-Xorda invasion. The 21st century had been the last for the humans, but the beginning for all the mutants that remained. That had been at least 12,000 years ago though, and so much had changed since. He glanced up at the whiteboard, where Mr. Stewart wrote down notes for the class. Emerald eyes shifted to his older brother, who looked prepared to take a nap. At first, Sonic was attentive to the lesson at hand, but within twenty minutes he realized he couldn’t keep his focus. His legs were shaking, not used to sitting still for so long with absolutely nothing to do - he was going to freak out if he didn’t get some sort of stimulation. How was he supposed to deal with this for five more periods? Knuckles was leaning against the wall on the opposite end of class, dozing off without a care in the world since the gator and hawk concealed him, so not even he could save him. What was he even supposed to do? Just stare at the teacher and listen? That was torture for him! He already spent the last ten minutes staring out the window, the giant oak that consumed his view was still as big and voluminous as it was moments ago, _can confirm_ . He’d have to wait until fall for the scenery to distract him. With a sigh, he sneaked a peek at the hybrid beside him, who was rapidly scribbling words onto his sheet of paper. What was he doing? Was he seriously copying everything on the board? _Why_? If the blue teen had paper on him, he’d be doodling instead. 

“Do you mind?” Silver hissed under his breath after a couple of minutes of Sonic’s staring.

“Huh?” 

“I said, _do you mind_?” There it was again, that attitude and glare. 

“No, not at all,” he smirked, challenging the other as he rested his head on the palm of his hand and continued eyeing the other. Silver scoffed and went back to copying notes as Sonic found something to entertain himself with…

...at least for the next ten minutes. 

As soon as the bell rang, Sonic jumped out of his seat and rushed to Knuckles’ desk, impatiently tapping his foot while he waited for the other to move. He was ready to get out of the room and meet up with Tails for English, if they got there early, maybe they could all sit near each other. Then he wouldn’t have to suffer again. Once the echidna got on his feet, the blue teen grabbed his wrist and led him down the halls, ignoring his elder brother’s demands to slow down. Sonic glanced at his paper and checked for the room number, comparing it to the door he stood next to, then walked in. 

“Next time could you at least watch where you’re going? You knocked down at least three kids on your way here, _hero_ ,” the redhead huffed as he crossed his arms. 

“Oh, sorry. Yeah, next time I’ll be careful,” he rubbed his neck bashfully, feeling guilty as he shut the door behind him. Straight ahead, his little brother conversed with their English teacher, and the two teens approached them. The adult, a swan-hybrid, opened the folder in her hands and pulled out a couple of packets to give to the newcomers, having already handed the blond his. Hastily, she sent them to the back of the room without asking for questions. Knuckles sat himself in the last row with Tails in front of him, while Sonic chose the seat right next to his little brother. He hummed in approval as he leaned back in his seat, making himself comfortable. His family was right next to him, already this class was much more tolerable than the last. 

More students filed into the room and took their seats, with Silver and Blaze being a couple of them. The blue teen pursed his lips with wary eyes as he watched them settle down near the front, fortunately for him the moody hedgehog could keep his bad vibes to himself this class period. The sound of a zipper caught his attention, he looked over to see the fox-hybrid pull out a pencil from a blue backpack. 

“Wait a sec, where’d you get that?” he raised a brow as his eyes flickered from the bag to his brother. 

“Oh, well, my calculus teacher said that they had bags for us in the office and sent me down to get mine…” he scratched his cheek. “My math book is really heavy though, but yeah, it's weird you guys weren’t told to get yours.”

“Yeah, our last teacher was weird,” Knuckles sighed. “To be honest, I don’t even think he’s supposed to _be_ here.”

“Knux, that’s intolerant!” The blue Mobian chastised the other with a frown. He was no stranger to how cruel humans could be, but he believed everyone deserved a chance to let their actions speak for themselves. As boring as his history teacher could be, he actually seemed like a pretty decent guy. 

“No, it's not about the whole Overlander thing, Sonic. Did you see what a mess he was?”

Sonic shrugged. “Maybe it's his first year teaching? I don’t know. Give the poor guy a break,” he twirled the pencil Mina gave him in his hands before doodling on the white space of his packet. “As for the backpacks, we can get them later,” he faced Tails with a grin. “So, how was calc?”

Tails’ expression lit up. “It was fine, the teacher sat down with me and helped me catch up while everyone else did book work.”

“That was nice of him,” the redhead nodded in approval. 

“Definitely,” Sonic agreed just before the bell rang. Once class started, the differences between this subject and the last became very apparent. Rather than having to copy notes on a board like mindless drones, the swan Mobian actually encouraged her students to speak up, and would occasionally tell stories of her personal life for the entertainment of others. She also knew when to get back to work, which was evident when she distributed her students a small book that was supposed to delve into the theme of personal identity, as well as handed them more packets they were expected to annotate for an essay due at the end of the school year. The work put him off, but he supposed he could deal with it so long as each lesson remained as interesting as the first. 

The bell rang again and they were dismissed. Tails had left to go to his history class while the echidna and hedgehog-hybrids had general science. This time, Sonic was more mindful of the other students in the hall as he walked toward the science hall and entered his class. 

“Hello!” he kept his friendly demeanor as he greeted the tall, round professor. The adult sat at his desk, putting together what the teen assumed was a small data chip. The blue-haired student quickly distinguished his teacher as a Human...Overlander, whatever. Same difference. There was something odd about his appearance though. The bald man had a long, reddish-brown mustache, a large, beak-like nose, and dark, circular spectacles that obscured his eyes. He spoke up again when the elder didn’t acknowledge his presence. “Uh, teacher?”

The strange man jolted in surprise and dropped his project onto the desk, he let out an annoyed groan before eyeing the two teens in front of him. “What are you doing here? This isn’t your class!” he snapped. 

“Um, yeah, it is,” Sonic handed the teacher his older brother’s schedule as well as his own, only to have it snatched from his grip. Annoyed, he rested a hand on his hip while he watched the crazy old man rotate his chair toward his computer and quickly punch keys into his keyboard. After a few seconds, he spun again and dropped the sheets of paper onto the corner of his desk where the blue teen picked them up. 

“Very well. My name is Doctor Robotnik. You are to adhere to the rules of my classroom and pay attention to the subject at hand. You also have assigned seating. Blue, you’re in the second row, left hand side, on the aisle seat. Red, you sit at the table right behind him, window seat,” Sonic beamed as he walked to his seat, though he’d rather not have an aisle, he was fortunate to be kept near the echidna again. 

The hedgehog Mobian glanced up as he set himself down, a pout forming on his lips as he caught sight of silvery hair. Three classes in a row? Dang. 

Of course, the younger hedgehog narrowed his eyes at him as he begrudgingly took the seat directly behind him. It was getting old fast, if the teen wanted to intimidate the blue blur, he’d have to try something else. Green eyes confronted amber as he twisted in his seat, yet the ivory teen refused to back down. Sonic smirked, with Silver raising a brow while still holding his glare. ‘ _Good_ ,’ the blue teen thought. He liked the challenge, it kept things interesting. Two could play at that game. 

From the point class began and on, Sonic made it his goal to annoy the other teen, to show him that he wasn’t one to back down so easily. For him, it seemed that the ivory-hybrid was nothing more than a bully, and bullies had to be put in their place. He wasn’t usually the one to throw the first punch, as that was normally reserved for Knuckles. No, there were other methods to get the point across, and for him in this class, it was resting his elbows on the other’s table, occasionally stretching his arms into the albino’s personal space. 

Of course, as Sonic invaded the other’s territory, his eyes remained focused on his teacher, observing his animated gestures and how he spoke at what felt like a hundred words per second. He pretended to be very interested in the topic at hand, the scientific method or whatever, and nodded his head here and there just to finalize the act. In truth, he was actually more fascinated by the teacher himself than any of the mumbo-jumbo that fell from his lips. There was something about the old man’s physique that just seemed...egg-like? The mental image of a giant, talking egg teaching science kept him in a good mood with a broad smile on his face, a stark contrast from the twenty-or-so other students that were listening to the lesson with attentive ears or bored out of their minds. 

Sonic and his peers jolted in surprise when the wooden door to their classroom was kicked wide open, revealing a green, hedgehog-hybrid. His head was held high, with icy blue eyes scrutinizing the area as though he were superior to all of them. His navy blue pants were covered in tears, his tie gone, and he wore his own black, leather jacket adorned with flames on its sleeves - there was no way the dress code allowed that. His spiky green hair was extremely unkempt, and on them sat red sunglasses, which he slowly put on as he strutted to his seat. The blue hedgehog made a face as he was unsure what his first impression of the other was, but he quickly settled on the possibility the other just had a big ego. Rather than judge the stranger he hardly knew, Sonic tapped his pencil against the lab table and let it distract him. 

“Scourge! You’re late!” Robotnik barked. “I’ll have to give you another detention!” 

The newcomer paused for a moment before sneering, revealing razor sharp teeth. “Too bad, I’m already booked.” 

The doctor growled, “Fine, just take your seat and quit wasting my time!” Scourge dumped himself onto the empty seat next to the blue-haired Mobian, eyes scanning the room with a bored expression on his face until they fixated on the teen beside him. Sonic actually hated how he could _feel_ their intensity on him, and dared to look back with an annoyed glare. They held their gazes for a long moment before Scourge grinned mischievously. 

“Heya, Blue. What’s a pretty boy like you doin’ here?” he asked in a low, sultry tone. 

The cobalt Mobian’s brows shot up wide at the advance. “It’s Sonic, and I’m here for the same reason as everybody else.”

“Well, what do you say about blowing this place and having some fun? Just the two of us, if you know what I mean,” Scourge waggled his brows, a suggestive leer roaming over his body - the blue teen gawked at the manner he was being come on to. Was the other proposing what he thought he was? In _school_? They hardly knew each other! Emerald eyes narrowed at the other. 

“How about, thanks but no thanks. Sorry, but I’m not interested.” 

Someone scoffed behind him. Sonic turned in his seat to give the other teen the ‘I’m watching you’ gesture as a way to show him that it was on. Silver was _so_ gonna get it. Sonic’s patience was wearing thin enough as is, he didn’t need some jerk constantly hating him no matter what he did. 

“Blue hedgehog, pay attention to the lesson!” 

“Alright, Eggman!” Sonic snapped back as he spun in his seat, a long silence followed after, more than enough time for the teen to process the words that just escaped his mouth. All it took was one glimpse at the fuming doctor to know that he was in some deep trouble. 

“Detention!”

“Ugh,” Sonic rubbed his temple in distress. A detention on the first day? Seriously? He sulked in his seat as the teacher resumed his lesson. 

“Ey, nice show, babe! Almost wish I could join you in detention. But really, _Eggman_? Never thought of that one.”

“Can you not,” the blue teen huffed as he rested his head on the palm of his hand. 

A balled up sheet of paper was thrown at his head. “Psst, Sonic!” he slowly turned his head and glowered at the person who threw it. 

“ _What?_ ” he hissed at his older brother. 

“You okay?”

Sonic rolled his emerald eyes. “Just go back to sleep, Knuckles,” his arms crossed as he faced forward, focusing his eyes on nothing but the clock above the door. 

Just eight more minutes. He could do this. 

* * *

Before he could leave the class, Robotnik pulled him aside and told him that his detention would be on Wednesday, as he was busy working on projects for the next couple of days. Anxious to get out of the room, Sonic didn’t argue with his professor and left, meeting up with the echidna who waited for him by the door. Together they made their way to a cafeteria that was considerably smaller than the one they had entered that morning, with beige walls and wooden tables - it was packed for the most part. All the three-seaters were taken, so they had to go with a much larger table toward the back. There wasn’t much to do with all the extra space they had, but as far as the two brothers were concerned, the table was now unofficially theirs. 

After seeing the blond hybrid enter the room, Sonic raised his arm and waved for his attention. Green eyes met blue and the fox ran over to them, leaping into his older brother’s arms for a nice, big embrace. 

Already, his foul mood was starting to dissipate. 

The two younger brothers sat themselves down while Knuckles eyed the lunch line before facing the blue teen. “I’ll get a meal for us,” he patted Sonic’s shoulder comfortingly before leaving. 

Tails raised a brow. “Is something wrong? Usually you’d be the one to do that.”

“He probably just wants to get a good look at all the other students,” Sonic sighed. “Or maybe the knucklehead actually pities me and is giving me a break. Who knows?”

“Oh?” The fox Mobian scooched closer to his brother. “What happened?”

“Okay, so remember that guy Silver, from breakfast?” Tails nodded. “Well, he’s been in all my classes so far, same attitude toward me and everything. I’m just sick of it, and then there was last period, this guy named Scourge wouldn’t leave me alone. I also accidentally called my teacher ‘Eggman,’ so I got a detention. It’s just been a pretty bad day for me so far, but I’m hoping it’ll get better.”

“I see…” The boy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe you should talk to Silver and see what his problem is? I was in history last period with that girl Blaze, and she was really nice and polite. I don’t think they’d be friends if he always acted like a jerk...maybe he’s having a rough day like you.”

Sonic averted his green eyes and pursed his lips in deep thought. “Yeah, well, he could at least _try_ being positive rather than wallow in his misery…” he let out a deep sigh. “Alright, I’ll talk to him later and figure out what his issue is.”

“Not everyone is as optimistic and cheerful as you, Sonic. People deal with things in different ways.”

“Yes, mother.”

Tails sent him a deadpan expression. “If anything, _you’re_ the mom. You raised me.”

“Tsk,” Sonic rolled his eyes. “Don’t throw my quips back at me. Not cool.”

“Quit lecturing the kid, _mom_ ,” Knuckles teased with a broad grin as he returned to the table with a tray holding three pizza slices and drinks. He set it down between them and took the seat across from Sonic. 

“You realize that would make you the dad, right?” Sonic raised a brow and picked up his pizza. “Don’t even go there, it’ll only backfire on us both.”

Knuckles opened his mouth to retort, but instead came the voice of another. 

"Oi, Blue!" The hedgehog glanced over his shoulder only to see Scourge walking toward them. _Great_. 

“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?” Sonic huffed before taking a bite out of his pizza. Meal time was extremely important to him, it couldn’t possibly be postponed, especially for people he didn’t _like_. 

“Just wanted to know if you changed your mind on that offer, babe."

“Nope.”

“You need to leave,” Knuckles growled as he cracked his namesake. 

The green hedgehog was amused by the situation. “Is this your boyfriend? Damn, babe, you could do so much better,” he winked, nudging Sonic who could only retaliate with an intense glare. “C’mon, I’ll show you a good time.” 

Sonic winced. “He’s not my-”

"I'm not his boyfriend!" The hot-headed echidna banged his fists against the table as he stood abruptly, surprising both his brothers and Scourge, who jumped back in alarm. The red hybrid’s wrath was intimidating, especially with those spikes on his gloves and strong biceps, there was no doubt he could land a painful punch when he wanted to. 

Scourge scoffed. “Whatever. See you later, Blue. Can’t keep my girl waiting.” 

He left, and Tails turned to Sonic with confusion written all over his face. “Why would he flirt with you if he already has a girlfriend?”

Sonic shrugged as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Maybe he’s just trying to get under my skin or something? I don’t know. He’s just being annoying,” he reached for his soda and took a sip. “Also, Knux? You can sit down now, we’re getting enough stares as it is.” The crimson teenager complied, but still shook with anger - Sonic’s tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth. “Chaos, I didn’t know I was that bad of a guy you'd feel so insulted," a hand was placed on his chest as he feigned being offended, hoping that his little tease would lighten the other’s temper.

“I hate that we always get mistaken as a couple. It's so stupid."

“Very, but what’cha gonna do? We’re both good-looking guys that are constantly hanging around each other, of course there’s gonna be rumors,” he smirked. “If it bothers you so much, just go find yourself a girlfriend. That is, if you can even get one.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

* * *

Two occupants were seated at a booth not too far away from the loud echidna and his brothers, having been witness to his outburst as they endured each other’s company. 

“That red one has quite the mouth on him, don't ya think?" The white, bat-hybrid glanced at her companion. The dark-haired Mobian didn’t reply, he only scowled as eyed the trio. "I've never seen them around here before. I’ve gotta admit, blue boy is quite the cutie, but he’s not my type...that redhead though...what a hunk.”

The other rolled his crimson eyes, barely acknowledging her with a small " _Hmph_."

"Would it kill you to be just a _little_ more engaging?" she sighed in exasperation as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Honestly, the guy she was talking to could be such a brick wall. "I think I'll go talk to him, maybe _they’ll_ actually be capable of holding a conversation. Be right back, hun," she swiftly left with a confident gleam in her eyes as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. 

Hopefully whatever happened next would be interesting.

* * *

“Wait, Robuttnik’s your robotics teacher?” Sonic exclaimed as he compared schedules with his little brother, this time focusing on details such as the names of their professors. He faced the blond with a grin stretched across his face. “Okay, so first things first, when you see him you’ll notice he looks like a giant, talking egg. That’s okay, because I did too-”

“Heya, boys!” The blue-haired Mobian glanced up mid-sentence, halting the hand motions he did whilst he talked. Knuckles turned in his seat, wondering who was speaking to them, only to find himself gaping. 

The young woman was an extremely attractive, well-endowed, bat-hybrid with beautiful aqua irises, charming sun-kissed skin, and short, white hair. Like Sonic, her uniform was donned without the blazer, which seemed to work well with showing off her curves while also following the rules. She also wore makeup like mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, and blue eyeshadow, but it was apparent that she would be just as attractive without any. A welcoming smile greeted the new students as she sat herself beside the echidna, as charismatic as she was lethal, but no one needed to know of the latter. “My name’s Rouge. Rouge the Bat. I haven’t seen either of your handsome faces around here before…” her eyes darted between the crimson and blue Mobians. “You guys are new?”

“Yea-”

“What’re you doing here?” Knuckles spat defensively, earning a shocked look from his cobalt younger brother. 

“Knuckles, don’t be so rude,” Sonic scolded his elder before turning to the new face. “Sorry about his attitude, it’ll clear up soon,” he sent her a comforting smile. 

Rouge chuckled. “It’s alright. It’s just that my... _partner_ and I couldn't help but notice your little conflict with Scourge. If you two need the details on anyone here, all ya need to do is ask."

"What makes you think we need your hel-"

“You. Shut up,” the blue hybrid quickly shot his brother a glare. “Can you tell me about Scourge and Silver? Dr. Robotnik? Like, anything?"

The bat nodded with a pleased smirk. “Well, Scourge and I go back. We used to be a team...but we had a bit of a fall out during a treasure hunt. I know he dates Fiona Fox now and also hangs around his Destructix gang, or so they call themselves. He proclaims himself as the school’s bad boy, gets himself thrown into prison every once in awhile, pretty sure he told me once that he killed his own father, but it comes up so often now I can’t help but wonder if it was all just a bluff,” her shoulders shrugged. “I know he’s a huge flirt when it comes to girls, but you must be something really special to attract his attention like that,” she tapped her cheek with her index finger and paused for a moment, deepening her thought. “Silver, as far as I know, moved here sometime last year with a feline Mobian...he’s normally very quiet and recluse, but I’ve seen a bit of his soft side. As for the Doctor…” A small chuckle. “He used to be my teacher. He always tries to come off as strict, but if you push his buttons enough, he just becomes a grouchy, old man. He’s a genius and enjoys working with robotics, after school you can normally find him toying around with his creations.”

“Okay, and you?” The echidna crossed his arms as he studied the girl, regarding her suspiciously. 

“Me? I’m a specialized treasure hunter who loves gems,” she batted her eyelashes at him. “Honey, if you ever want to know more about me, just ask me on date.” Knuckles huffed and crossed his arms, averting his gaze while the corner of her lip curled into a cocky grin. “Your loss.”

“What about the partner you just mentioned? Who are they?” Tails asked the lady, having been scanning the area to for them ever since they were first mentioned, but to no avail. It couldn’t be helped, he was a curious person by nature. 

“Oh, _him_? He’s not really one to talk or socialize...in fact, he can be such a killjoy,” Rouge vented as she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but we work together, and I guess you can say we’re friendly despite certain circumstances.”

“...Which are?”

“Oops, lunch is almost over! Gotta run!” Pushing herself out of the seat, she saluted the boys quickly while taking her leave. Before the guys could even discuss what had happened, the bell rang and the room became too loud and crowded to carry on with the conversation. Deciding to just drop the topic for another time, they picked up their garbage and headed to fifth period. 

* * *

Sonic and Knuckles suffered through a double period of pre-Algebra together, where the former spent an agonizing ninety minutes shaking in his seat, trying to focus on the content at hand, while the latter wanted nothing more than to bash his head against the wall as anything would be better than trying to understand a subject he barely learned the basics for. All he could do was add and subtract as that was all he ever had to do in the real world. 

In the simplest of terms, math sucked. Especially if you were easily distracted or just never learned the subject. 

When the bell dismissed them, Sonic wanted nothing more than to cry tears of joy because he thought his misery would never end. His legs ached for movement, and it was fortunate for him that his next class was gym. He needed to go on a run, sitting at a desk for too long drove him crazy. Knuckles, who was now extremely agitated over trying to understand the concept of PEMDAS, just wanted to punch something. Anything. He just needed to release his pent up frustration. 

They entered the gymnasium and headed toward the boy’s locker room. Noticing their peers change into the same white t-shirt and navy blue shorts, they went to one of the coach’s office to see if they had anything for them. Upon seeing them enter the room, the adult kangaroo-hybrid wordlessly handed each of them a bag of clothes with a sticky note attached to it, their locker number and its combination messily scribbled on. Fortunately, it wasn’t too far from their current location. 

Sonic sat on the bench in between two rows of yellow lockers and untied his plastic bag, pulling out his own pair of shirts, shorts, and sneakers. Changing, he mused over how the school knew his measurements - though at the time it seemed pointless, he was glad they took time to do so during orientation. He slipped on his white sneakers, they were brand new, but clearly made from some cheap material. Just like his red ones back at the dorm. 

“Knux, I think they gave me the wrong size shorts,” Sonic whined as he and his brother walked out of the locker room, frowning as he tugged down on them. They were a little too tight and short for his liking, his went down to his mid-thigh, whereas the echidna’s reached his knees. Clearly, something wasn’t right. 

“Shut up, they’re fine. Maybe just a bit short, but that’s because your butt takes up a lot of space.” 

Sonic scowled at the redhead. “What are you trying to say?”

“Stop doing squats and eating chili dogs, maybe it’ll stop being an issue.” 

“...How dare you even-”

“Then quit your bitchin’.”

Sonic crossed his arms and glared at Knuckles before catching sight of ivory entering the gym in the corner of his eye. “Well, there’s Silver…”

“And there’s Scourge,” the echidna cocked his head forward. 

“Are you serious?” Sonic peeked over his shoulder with disbelief, only to be let down by the view he was met with. “This sucks, I was supposed to enjoy this period!”

“Yeah…” Indigo eyes scanned the gym. “Wait, where are we even supposed to go? Do we just keep standing here by the bleachers or…?”

Sonic sighed as he watched the silver Mobian head toward a coach, knowing exactly where he was going and what he was doing. He chewed on his lip before letting out a heavy sigh. “As much as I hate to say this, but let’s ask Silver. He seems like our best option…”

The echidna nodded in agreement and they approached the other hedgehog-hybrid. 

“Hey, Silver!” Sonic jumped in surprise at the redhead’s booming voice. “Can you tell us exactly what we’re supposed to be doing here?”

“You choose an activity and do it,” the other hedgehog deadpanned. “It’s simple.”

“Well,” Sonic awkwardly rubbed his shoulder, seeing as the two weren’t on good terms. “What activities are available?”

Silver warily casted him a glance before continuing. "Boxing, hurdles, football, soccer, basketball, running, baseball, tennis-"

“Running?” he was practically glowing as a smile stretched across his face.

Silver paused as he stared at the blue hybrid, blinking a couple of times before regaining his composure. “Y-Yeah...it’s like the easiest activity here.” 

A hand firmly gripped Sonic’s shoulder. “Hey, I’m gonna try boxing. See ya later,” with that said, the Knuckles ran off in the other direction, leaving Sonic alone and uncomfortable with someone he was certain disliked him. The blue teen anxiously fiddled with the cuffs of his glove as he got his bearings. 

“Can you show me where the running is?” His emerald eyes caught sight of his twin-tailed brother exiting the locker room, silently he beckoned the kid over with a quick wave. 

“Might as well since I’m headed there too. We just have to follow Coach Fennec.” 

“You run?” There was a gleam in Sonic’s eyes that made Silver nervously avert his gaze.

“No...like I said, it’s the easiest activity there is.” 

* * *

As they approached the bright red track field, Sonic’s heart pumped with excitement. An entire area dedicated to running, his favorite hobby. He’d love to join the track team or cross country, he knew he’d be the star player. Never once did he meet anybody faster than him, in fact, there wasn’t anybody he knew that could keep up when he wasn’t holding back. It was unfortunate though because he loved a challenge. If there was someone out there that could bring out his untapped potential, he’d be the happiest kid alive.

“Alright!” Coach Fennec huffed as she crossed her arms. “Unlike last time, I want none of you doing nothing! You either walk or you run, nothing else. Got it?”

The blue teen raised a brow with his hands rested on his hips as sarcastic murmurs of _‘yes’_ and ‘ _got it_ ’ emitted from the crowd. Why would the other’s sign up for something they had no interest in? His emerald eyes exchanged a look with the sky blue of his brother, who shrugged in response to his brother’s silent question. The gym teacher gestured toward the red pavement and blew her whistle before the students began their rounds…

...walking. 

Within five minutes, the two brothers had lapped the other students at least four times and were going on a fifth, and that was only considered a steady warm-up for the two. They were still able to talk about their day, how each class had gone for the both of them in detail without breaking a sweat. They passed Silver again, who unlike the other students, was actually making a small effort by keeping a brisk jog as he listened to his music player. _Respect!_

“Ugh, seriously?” Sonic huffed as he spun on his heel and ran backwards, eyeing his classmates with annoyance. “They’re not even trying!”

“I don’t really think they care,” Tails pursed his lips. 

“I was hoping I could find new people to race with…” he groaned as he turned back around. 

“I would offer, but you always tire me out so quickly,” the boy let out a small giggle and Sonic smiled. 

“Trust me, you’re better than most,” he winked. “But man, I was so looking forward to getting some action...this sucks.” 

A dark Mobian who had been lurking nearby approached them, startling the cobalt teen as he spoke from his other side. “You should be careful what you wish for.” Crimson eyes regarded him coolly as his smooth voice caught Sonic’s attention. 

A smile stretched across the blue teen’s face. “You wanna race?”

“Sure,” the stranger replied with a cocky grin. “I’ve been getting pretty bored myself. I’ll have to warn you though, I’ve never been beat.”

Green eyes lit up at the challenge. “Well, neither have I!” 

The three of them came to a quick halt. Tails observed the new Mobian for a moment before facing his brother. 

“Want me to be your starter?” 

“That’d be perfect,” his gaze locked with the other hedgehog’s. 

The other Mobians on the track field slowed down to see what was going on, seeing as they’d never seen their school’s mysterious student interact with _anybody_ who wasn’t the white bat. The coach made way through the field to reprimand them for stopping, but her voice died in her throat as she watched them crouch into starting positions. Backs were arched with the balls of their feet planted on the ground, ready to push, and steady hands extended toward the pavement for balance. The blond fox swished his tails in anticipation, a smirk on his lips as he eyed the dark hybrid... he had no idea what he was getting into. 

“Ready…set,” two pairs of legs pushed their lower body upward. “...Go!” 

The two took off in a flash, nearly knocking the yellow Mobian off his feet as they ran neck and neck off the sprint track and through the finish line with no intent of stopping. 

Sonic was impressed, whenever he pushed himself more, the darker teen would close the gap between them, progressively getting faster each second. The blue hybrid was thrilled, he’d never met someone who could keep up with him like this! He wondered just how long it would last. 

The darker hybrid’s face contorted into a sneer, his body moving side to side like he was skating. He led the Sonic into the hiking trail, hoping that the uneven terrain would affect him, but the other kept pushing through, not letting it phase him in the slightest. Speeding up, the other would always be right there, achieving speeds no other being on the planet could reach, _except him_. Strange... 

There was a stinging sensation at the bottom of the blue blur’s feet, but he couldn’t worry about that now. Not when he was having a once in a lifetime opportunity such as this! _‘I just have to deal with it a little longer,’_ Sonic mentally told himself. 

The black and red streaked Mobian narrowed his eyes at the teen. “Just what the hell are you?” 

As he was about to answer, Sonic fell to the ground with a pained cry, tumbling through strewn leaves and dirt before coming to a stop on his back, knocking the wind out of him momentarily. His body ached as his elbows pushed himself up, a minor curse slipped from his lips. Dazed, he rubbed his head before pulling a twig out of his blue hair. Ugh, why did his feet feel like they were on fire?

Emerald eyes inspected his shoes, only to blink in shock. The soles had been completely burned off, and the underside of his feet were red with burns. They stung like crazy, and he hissed in pain as he sat up and brought his legs close, holding his left foot to see the extent of the damage. Yeah, he didn’t need to be a medic to know it was bad. 

After losing Sonic, the ebony Mobian screeched to a halt before searching for him. It didn’t take long to backtrack as the other’s royal blue hair was striking against the green and brown scenery. He advanced toward the other, noticing how Sonic chewed on his lip as he observed the burns. It took him only a second to understand what had occurred, but what he wanted to know was _how_ . How could a normal Mobian run so fast? It would explain why he had sensed so much of _that_ energy, but there was no way this kid could be a Rank A...he needed to tell the Doctor about this.

“I know I’m good looking, but could you quit staring at me like that?” Red eyes met with the green of his rival, who displayed a smug grin on his face. 

The stranger crossed his arms, “I thought you were in pain.” 

“I heal fast…” Sonic shrugged, pulling off his torn shoes and peeking through the hole he burnt off. “Wow, that _is_ impressive,” a small chuckle escaped him. His eyes roamed the area, finding a trash can along the trail not too far away - he aimed and threw the remains of his sneakers at it, landing a perfect shot. “And...he scores!”

Crimson eyes darted from the trash can back to the hedgehog. “Are you a Rank A?”

"Um, a _what_? Oh, yeah, I don't feel compelled to answer anything from you until I get your name," Sonic answered with a smirk, the ebony Mobian scowled at him from where he stood.

"Shadow, Shadow the Hedgehog," he paused thoughtfully. "And you are?"

"Sonic's the name, speed's my game!" The cobalt hybrid beamed as he pointed to himself with his thumb. "So, what's this rank thing you were talking about?"

"Ranks. A term used by G.U.N. to classify the amount of Chaos Energy in an individual. You seem to have a high concentration of it…" his voice trailed off as he observed Sonic. Somehow he didn't seem like a Rank A, he radiated way too much energy…but that was _impossible_.

The blue Mobian rubbed the back of his neck. "Er, well that's why I was admitted to this school. GUN detected it and they want me on their radar until they know for sure I'm safe," he sighed. "I mean, I don't think I'm dangerous. I've always been the way I am and nothing's ever happened, so..."

Shadow sighed. “We’d best get back...are you capable of walking yet?”

“Hmmm, maybe. Why, you gonna carry me if I can’t?”

There was an impassive look on the other’s face before a smirk broke out. “You still have your hands. Crawl.”

“Geez, take a joke!” Sonic pouted as he pushed himself off the ground, barefoot, and followed the other’s lead out of the woods. It turned out they covered quite a distance during their little race, the blue teen mused as his eyes wandered over the trees and grass before landing on the dark hedgehog before him. Taking a couple of big steps forward so that he was only slightly behind the other, he took the opportunity to properly observe him. 

Shadow was actually...a very attractive guy. He had spiky, onyx hair with crimson streaks while his skin held an olive complexion, his ruby eyes were outlined in red and were as intense as they were intimidating, Sonic couldn’t help but find them alluring. Like him, the dark Mobian was lean, though his muscles were more prominent, especially in the gym uniform. It was odd he wore his own shoes rather than the ones the coaches provided them with, they were strangely shaped, rather bulky and chipped around the edges. With them he wore red and black cuffs on his ankles and wrists, each were accompanied by a golden ring. 

The blue hybrid’s breath hitched and his heart rate sped up, a noticeable blush brightened his fair cheeks. _Great_ , a handsome racing rival was just what he needed. Ugh, this was going to be difficult. 

“Are you alright?” Sonic glanced up to see the other come to a halt while facing him. “You look feverish.”

“N-no, it’s just, uh-,” his eyes darted around the area. “Oh look! There’s our class!” They were approaching the baseball field, and just beyond that was the running track. Many of the students were gawking at them as they walked by, Sonic was grateful for the distraction. He waved at anyone who caught his eye, enjoying the attention, but also noticed how Shadow glared at anyone who dared to look at him. 

The moment Sonic’s heel touched the red pavement, a yellow flash nearly knocked him back. “That was amazing! I knew you were fast, but that...I can’t even describe it!” 

Sonic grinned teasingly at the boy embracing him in a tight hug. “Oh, so you underestimated me?” he laughed. “Nah, I surprised myself to be honest.”

“...Uh, what happened to your shoes?” The blond back up as he stared at the ground.

“They burned off, so I threw them away…” he watched as Shadow passed him, gaze lingering on the other for a moment too long before following suit with his little brother trailing right beside him. 

“Really? That’s interesting,” Tails eyed his legs pensively. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Shadow hissed as he looked over his shoulder to glare at Sonic, having felt the other’s gaze on him once again. 

“Yup, pretty sure. Just wondering what’s got you all quiet,” it was a half-truth, but it worked. 

“That’s none of your concern,” Shadow shook his head before facing forward, approaching the awestruck coach. 

Sonic blinked once before frowning. "Yeah, whatever," he glanced at Tails and mouthed 'he's thinking about me,' with a quick wink. The blond boy let out a small laugh and Sonic beamed, though his eyes never left the other’s retreating form.

* * *

Tails and Sonic met up with the echidna when they entered the locker room, then quickly changed back into their uniform. Sonic’s eyes skimmed the area, hoping to find the ebony teen again, especially since he lost him in the crowd outside when gym ended. He pursed his lips in disappointment before facing Knuckles. 

“So, how was boxing?” he asked casually. 

“Really fun,” Knuckles grinned from his spot on the bench as he put on his shoes. “I punched the bag all the way across the room when I wasn’t even trying!” his indigo irises darted between his two younger brothers. “How was running?”

Sonic paused as he adjusted his tie. Just as he was about to answer, he was beaten by the fox-hybrid. “Sonic was amazing! I’ve never even seen anyone go so fast before! You should’ve been there! Too bad he hurt himself though…” Knuckles furrowed his brows and gave the hedgehog a questioning glance. 

The blue teen shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s fine, my feet are practically healed. Just a few small blisters to go.”

“Yeah, no. I want to hear about your speed.”

“Oh, okay, thanks for caring about my health first,” he let out a sarcastic snort. “But anyway, it was great! I’ve never had a chance to push myself like that before! I didn’t even know I was going so fast until my feet started burning. What’s weird is that I actually felt like I could go _faster_ , it’s just that my shoes couldn’t keep up.”

Tails opened his mouth to say something, only to quickly close it and instead purse his lips. 

“Yo, Tails? What’s up? Something on your mind?” Sonic asked, catching his brother’s hesitation. 

"You must've developed a lot of friction traveling at such high speeds…your feet would’ve been constantly hitting the ground, and as a result, generating a lot of heat…I wonder…"

“You wonder…” The echidna huffed impatiently. 

“Uh, I guess I’ll figure something out later,” Tails stated as he put on his blazer. “Shouldn’t we pick up the girls?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Sonic straightened his vest before blinking, suddenly remembering that he needed to pick up the school bags. “On second thought, can you guys do that for me while I run some errands? I think I also wanna find Silver first and see what his deal is. I don’t want a repeat tomorrow.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever,” Knuckles slammed his locker shut and locked it. 

The blond bit his lip as he grabbed Sonic’s wrist. “Hey...remember what I said earlier, okay? Maybe he’s a nice guy just having a bad day, so talk first...then brawl if you need to.”

Sonic nodded as the other released him, saluting his brother playfully. “Sure thing, kiddo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Eggy got that teaching degree he talked about at the end of Sonic Generations lol


End file.
